tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.comments2023-09-15T10:48:24.176-04:00The Itinerant ProfessorDonald Hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-39223005327567751122013-01-16T09:18:33.547-05:002013-01-16T09:18:33.547-05:00Great Blog.....Great Blog.....Urducellhttp://www.urducell.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-21495127875102849702012-04-26T13:25:51.188-04:002012-04-26T13:25:51.188-04:00Your loss :)Your loss :)Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-15787922116459665452012-04-26T13:24:41.673-04:002012-04-26T13:24:41.673-04:00No. I will only visit you here.
I'm stubborn...No. I will only visit you here. <br /><br />I'm stubborn like that.<br /><br />;)Christianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14053629811835658761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-56573690046562891592011-06-17T18:53:44.832-04:002011-06-17T18:53:44.832-04:00I've finally put up a blog post up with what ...I've finally put up a blog post up with what I've discovered about this ranking.<br />http://thorsteinveblen.blogspot.com/2011/06/best-ranking-money-can-buy.htmlveblenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09947720720209037530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-75884965267549225752011-04-08T21:10:46.190-04:002011-04-08T21:10:46.190-04:00Don,
My suspicions were raised about this website,...Don,<br />My suspicions were raised about this website, too. I did a litte digging last night and found something interesting that I'll email you about. <br />cheers,<br />veblenveblenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09947720720209037530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-42547988753246614642011-03-12T13:01:18.210-05:002011-03-12T13:01:18.210-05:00Well, I'm not sure I see that, but it would pe...Well, I'm not sure I see that, but it would peg you as being right-brained!Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-30891281947376405972011-03-12T12:40:03.084-05:002011-03-12T12:40:03.084-05:00Melissa said "the chart looks like an aardvar...Melissa said "the chart looks like an aardvark". I guess I'm a right-brained person." LOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-23197533968557341482011-03-06T19:27:04.180-05:002011-03-06T19:27:04.180-05:00Thank you for speaking for the families that I wor...Thank you for speaking for the families that I work with. We actively tell students in our program NOT to come to PSU for the reasons you mention, even though the program is sponsored by PSU. Strange, but true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-51365265271639772862010-09-30T21:27:25.787-04:002010-09-30T21:27:25.787-04:00moralhazard -- we plan on setting up a flex accoun...moralhazard -- we plan on setting up a flex account this year. In past years, our out-of-pocket didn't make it worth it to bother with the hassle in order to gain the tax savings. but with the deductible and co-insurance, it will definitely be worth our while.Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-31372234856934135152010-09-30T20:06:06.631-04:002010-09-30T20:06:06.631-04:00Don't forget that you can lower the overall co...Don't forget that you can lower the overall cost a bit by guesstimating how much you may pay and setting aside that money in a flex account at PSU. Anything that's not reimbursed by the plan can be reimbursed through the flex plan using pre-tax dollars. It's effectively a discount to the out of pocket costs equal to whatever your federal tax rate is. Of course, you have to pre-fund it out of your pay check.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-56041289194139023722010-09-28T12:46:41.564-04:002010-09-28T12:46:41.564-04:00Thanks, Bryan.Thanks, Bryan.Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-27338378740635287332010-09-28T09:55:53.077-04:002010-09-28T09:55:53.077-04:00Don - I think you did a good job of balancing that...Don - I think you did a good job of balancing that. Jess is still at PSU through the end of this academic year, so we've been paying close attention to this, too.Bryan Kovalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02881918428814154143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-44983209638228314962010-09-27T14:16:10.633-04:002010-09-27T14:16:10.633-04:00True, Bryan -- which is why I've tried to poin...True, Bryan -- which is why I've tried to point out that we still do have good benefits compared to most other employers. But having said that, they certainly are changing.Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-1271117742021319312010-09-27T13:59:14.448-04:002010-09-27T13:59:14.448-04:00When I moved to my new position in July, it became...When I moved to my new position in July, it became very clear how good the benefits at PSU had been. My current institution has a similar deductible, even with the most expensive, most comprehensive health insurance option available.Bryan Kovalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02881918428814154143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-76056958159688534602010-09-25T21:47:03.503-04:002010-09-25T21:47:03.503-04:00Yup, I'd say that $1,800 is a pretty good esti...Yup, I'd say that $1,800 is a pretty good estimate with the co-insurance, increase in premiums, deductibles, etc. No question that someone in your position is in a tough situation.Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-34359215209800614622010-09-25T21:38:39.556-04:002010-09-25T21:38:39.556-04:00Yes, this issue has really stressed me out as a si...Yes, this issue has really stressed me out as a single mom. While I may not have to find $2,400 a year, I am probably looking at something close to $1,800. It continually frustrates me that at PSU there is very little consideration toward the financial burden of single parents. Even in the case of "sick child" days. They are great, except that as a single mom, I use all of mine by August because there isn't anyone else who can stay home.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-47392608607630625382010-09-23T09:17:28.548-04:002010-09-23T09:17:28.548-04:00Nathaniel - good points regarding the other uses f...Nathaniel - good points regarding the other uses for the rink. As for whether the facility actually generates a financial surplus is yet to be seen; clearly a lot will depend upon what attendance the hockey games get. I haven't seen any details on whether the Pegula gift includes any endowment to cover the operating expenses of either the facility or the two D1 teams, so it's hard to tell whether a surplus will be possible or not.<br /><br />From a very selfish perspective: Will the rinks be available for curling, I wonder?Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-14730170563978597942010-09-23T09:10:21.053-04:002010-09-23T09:10:21.053-04:00Fascinating to see what other people think of this...Fascinating to see what other people think of this. Being a figure skating coach, I'm 100% for this, as we've been promised a new rink for the past 15 years. And important thing to keep in mind is that ice rinks generate more money than people think, especially at the D1 level. Hockey can be a huge generator, and having a professional, two bed ice rink will help us catch up (state of the art my ass) with other competing rinks in the area, so even when there's no hockey season, we'll still be able to host skating competitions and other sporting events. It also opens Penn State up, as a whole, to hosting events like the Keystone Games. <br /><br />Your argument is exactly the reason WHY this rink has been so delayed. Penn State didn't want their largest donation in history to go towards an ice rink, but the donors insisted.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11736397086285818507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-35610574350866769862010-09-18T14:31:50.457-04:002010-09-18T14:31:50.457-04:00Shawn -- good points. And PSU is one of the few p...Shawn -- good points. And PSU is one of the few places where the athletics department runs a "surplus," i.e., isn't subsidized by tuition or other revenue sources. Nevertheless, the juxtaposition of this largesse enjoyed by the athletic department at the same time the academic side of the house is being told to cutback is interesting.Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-28418112633451402182010-09-18T14:23:00.800-04:002010-09-18T14:23:00.800-04:00Don,
I think the financial equation in PSU's ...Don,<br /><br />I think the financial equation in PSU's athletic department has dramatically changed over the last 10 years with the advent of the Big Ten Network. There's speculation that PSU's hockey team means a Big Ten hockey conference is coming, along with hockey games televised on BTN (and perhaps in an online stream). College hockey fans aren't nearly as numerous as football and basketball fans are, but they are VERY loyal, and it's almost certainly the 3rd-most popular collegiate sport in "Big Ten country."<br /><br />I suspect the University may get a decent return on investment here... certainly not enough to cover the new building, but perhaps enough to support the team, plus a small annual surplus coming in (again not counting construction costs).shawndgoldmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13602977795534487995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-58298995159386411462010-09-17T22:00:05.790-04:002010-09-17T22:00:05.790-04:00Thanks, veblen. I'm sure I'll return the ...Thanks, veblen. I'm sure I'll return the favor at some point.Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-18351614336172319662010-09-17T21:52:58.556-04:002010-09-17T21:52:58.556-04:00This really puts it in perspective. I was about to...This really puts it in perspective. I was about to write the same thing on my blog, but I've just linked to you.veblenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09947720720209037530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-62921642996457945142010-09-17T20:32:54.608-04:002010-09-17T20:32:54.608-04:00Faculty (and administrators) across the university...Faculty (and administrators) across the university are under a good deal of pressure to find revenue-enhancing opportunities, whether it be externally-funded research, or development of new on-line programs through the World Campus. It's not unreasonable to think that some are going to look at something like this and say, "How hard should I be working on this when the university just invested just south of $100 million in one sport?"Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-86395422103413657702010-09-17T20:24:46.764-04:002010-09-17T20:24:46.764-04:00That list of possibilities just knocks me down. Wh...That list of possibilities just knocks me down. When you put it in those terms, the gift seems all the more ridiculous.Christianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14053629811835658761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-504086430125591940.post-4473272275686103242010-09-15T16:28:29.597-04:002010-09-15T16:28:29.597-04:00You're right, Andy - and this is another of th...You're right, Andy - and this is another of the complaints of some, that all for-profits get lumped together. But the rules are designed to distinguish the "good" from the "bad" institutions. They don't seek to punish the entire sector, but only those institutions (or more specifically, programs within institutions) that can't demonstrate reasonable employment outcomes in relation to the cost of the program. <br /><br />And remember that, as I noted in my post on this topic in July, that the proposed rules would apply not just to the for-profit sector, but to public and non-profit private institutions also.<br /><br />As for my decision to decline doing the study - that's a post for another day :)Donald Hellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255378507407179004noreply@blogger.com